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2A reduction in the productivity or activities of a company or institution.

‘a rundown in the business would be a devastating blow to the local economy’

‘It was phenomenal that the city was able to turn itself round in such a short space of time, bearing in mind the dramatic rundown in industry.’

‘That run-down in Commonwealth money for housing has forced the states into privatisation by stealth because it's forced them to sell off public housing stock and run down the supply right around the country.’

‘If doctors and nurses go from the rural sector then farmers and workers will follow, and that will mean a run-down of our productive sector.’

‘The rundown of essential services, particularly health care, have been a source of ongoing resentment and anger throughout the area.’

3Baseball An attempt by two or more fielders to tag out a base runner who is trapped between two bases.

‘he was caught in a rundown and tagged out by the shortstop’

‘This is common in a rundown when there is a play being ‘directly’ made on a runner and he is obstructed.’

‘Unfortunately, his season ended a month early, when he severely sprained his left ankle in a rundown.’

‘It was a double steal gone wrong and I got caught in a rundown that resulted in both my runners standing at second base.’

‘The first baseman threw home and caught him in a rundown between home plate and third base, where he was chased down by the third baseman.’

‘He hit a grounder that third baseman fumbled, but he was trapped in a rundown and the Cubs got him.’

adjective

Pronunciation /ˌrənˈdaʊn//ˌrənˈdoun/

1(especially of a building or area) in a poor or neglected state after having been prosperous.

‘a run-down, vandalized inner-city area’

‘He began to slow down as his surroundings began to grow more familiar, and soon he found that his feet had taken him home, to the small, run-down apartment building where he and Lyra lived.’

‘A project to turn a run-down area of Kendal into a haven for disabled people has got the support of the town council.’

‘Every kind of business, from rundown corner markets to the Gucci storefront on South Peters Street, has been looted.’

‘In 1998, it was declared a Housing Renewal Area, where run-down zones are improved through renovation and clearance.’

‘A multi-million pound chance to improve run-down housing areas in Rochdale was unveiled by the Government on Wednesday.’

‘Four of Manchester's communities want the chance to transform neglected and run-down park areas into something everyone in the community can enjoy.’

‘Dispersal means refugees get dumped in run-down housing areas with no proper facilities and support.’

‘Deptford has won £12m to improve a rundown health centre, through a new Public Private Partnership.’

‘The Block, a grid of run-down houses that is a virtual no-go area for people who do not live there, is notorious for heroin dealers trading openly in a park next to the railway tracks.’

‘Named after the run-down apartment building the band was eventually evicted from, The Lawrence Arms give us straight-up, Midwestern punk rock.’

‘With a screeching halt, the driver stepped on the brake just in front of the run-down apartment building that Adrian now called home.’

‘Homeowners in run-down areas are turning down a free offer of new houses.’

‘He drops out of school, moves into a rundown rooming house, telling no one his new address, and spends his time drinking and bar fighting.’

‘The district hospital was built to replace the 220-year-old city infirmary in Fisherton Street, the geriatric unit at Newbridge and run-down buildings at Odstock.’

‘The organisation specialises in lending for neglected properties, run-down buildings which can be renovated or converted for new use and energy-efficient new homes built ecologically.’

‘Film producers were the first to notice the rundown part of the city.’

‘Nothing came of that plan except for several small commercial developments, and Randburg slipped down the steady slope to becoming an untidy, rundown business and shopping area.’

‘That experience, in the case of Britain, was shared by those who came from former colonies to take up low-paid work and live in run-down areas where they were subjected to both social and institutional discrimination.’

‘The former Scout leader, who made his fortune revamping properties in run-down areas, was outraged when he received a fine for not paying a £5 congestion charge on a business trip to London.’

‘What about sorely-needed education and health policies to restore the badly run-down public systems?’

‘The managing director arrived at the company in 1999 as part of a team that had bought a run-down business which had been making losses for five years.’

‘This was the beginning of the 20-year cycle, buying run-down catering businesses and building them into success stories.’

‘But in general, India's infrastructure is as creaking and run-down as ever.’

‘Britain is recruiting far and wide to prop up its rundown national health system, from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, China, and the Philippines.’

2predicativeTired and somewhat unwell, especially through overwork.

‘feeling tired and generally run-down’

‘These are the obvious reasons for feeling tired or run-down, but for many female athletes, they aren't the only ones.’

‘Apart from still being extremely tired and run-down, there is also so much to be done.’

‘You are not simply ill, run-down or hungover: you are unable to produce, and because you are unable to produce, you are not a man.’

‘When Sheri started feeling tired and run-down, she realized she needed to make changes to improve the quality of her life.’

‘Most people I know, who say they are vegetarians/vegans have very pale skin, little muscle mass, and are always tired, run-down, and lethargic.’

‘Adults, particularly older ones or those with a run-down immune system, can however also contract shingles (herpes zoster) from a child with chickenpox.’

‘I've said more than once in the last few months that I've been feeling tired and run-down and, now that things may be coming to a head, I thought I'd write a little bit more about what has been going on.’

‘Everyone in this line looks tired, run-down, and much too old.’

‘Those times I find myself ready to snap at my son for nothing, feeling run-down and tired, overwhelmed.’